|
¡@
Chen describes court ruling as
¡¥political murder¡¦
By Vincent Y. Chao / Staff Reporter
Former president Chen Shui-bian (³¯¤ô«ó) has railed against Thursday¡¦s Supreme
Court ruling that he and his wife should spend at least 11 years in prison ¡X
calling it ¡§political murder¡¨ and suggesting that the verdict was
unconstitutional, close supporter Ellen Huang (¶À¶V¸k) said yesterday.
Huang, a one-time national policy advisor, visited the former president at the
Taipei Detention Center yesterday.
During the meeting, Chen expressed frustration at the ruling, which cannot be
appealed, saying that it was unexpected and unfair, Huang said.
¡§Chen believes that the ruling was in violation of the Constitution and a kind
of political murder,¡¨ Huang said, describing a conversation that was also
attended by office secretary Chiang Chih-ming (¦¿§Ó»Ê).
¡§Chen thinks that the main reason was because the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
and the Chinese Communist Party want him dead,¡¨ Huang said.
In an unexpected decision on Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled both Chen and his
wife, Wu Shu-jen (§d²Q¬Ã), were guilty of accepting bribes in a land purchase
scandal and facilitating a financial appointment, sentencing the couple to 11
years and eight years in prison respectively.
The court added that the first couple would have to pay a fine of NT$150 million
(US$5 million) each and it also turned three other cases ¡X charges in another
land purchase deal, money laundering and the embezzlement of secret diplomatic
funds ¡X back to a lower court for a retrial.
Huang said Chen believes the latest ruling is political retribution and that he
said: ¡§History will change and there will not be a -political party that lasts
forever.¡¨
Huang added that the former president would ¡§continue to wait in the shadows¡¨
and that he hasn¡¦t given up hope.
Meanwhile, prison officials at the Taipei Detention Center, where Chen has been
incarcerated for more than 700 days, were quoted by Central News Agency as
saying yesterday that while it was impossible to tell how Chen was feeling, the
former president was eating and drinking normally. Chen, who likely learned of
the latest ruling on television, declined to go outside for his daily exercise,
they said.
While Chen could be transferred to Taipei Prison following confirmation of
whether his sentences would be served consecutively or concurrently, it is
currently unclear where Wu, paralyzed below the waist, could be detained.
Under the Prison Act (ºÊº»¦æ¦Dªk), prosecutors have discretion on where to hold
elderly and disabled prisoners.
Minister of Justice Tseng Yung-fu (´¿«i¤Ò) said yesterday that currently both the
Taichung Prison and the Kaohsiung Prison are equipped with medical facilities.
Prosecutors would make the final call on Wu, Tseng said.
¡@
|
